Death Of A Relationship
by Zucht
Summary: Lois Lane is kidnapped, but that's not where the story begins.


**A/N:** This story takes place in the very near future. Lois and Clark are not a couple and she knows nothing of his powers, except his super ability to get on her nerves. And Lana and Clark haven't been together since High School; a part of his past, fondly remembered but left where she belongs – in his past.

**Death Of A Relationship**

The man's hands rested on his knees as he gulped for air. Running was an exercise that he did often, but running for his life – this was new. Peeking around the buildings corner, he saw the pair that was pursuing him.

His gun jumped in his hand as he fired a couple of rounds at the woman. Both would miss, he knew even as he pulled the trigger. But, he wanted to slow them down so his aching legs could put even more distance between them.

As he ran through the deserted warehouse district, he couldn't help but to reflect on his predicament…

_It wasn't supposed to be this way. The job was simple – grab a certain beautiful, young reporter and hold her until his employer could swoop in and save the day. The rescue was designed to make a hero, to her, out of his employer replacing the man that was currently there._

_Devious and daring, just like his employer._

_Everything had started well. His employer had made sure that the security cameras were off-line. The lighting, where she parked was unusually dim thanks to a few lights being "broken by hooligans" the previous week. She hadn't even noticed him in her rush to get to a breaking news story._

_After he had grabbed her from behind and chloroformed her, he had loaded her into the trunk of his car and taken her to the prearranged building in the heart of the deserted business district._

_It had been difficult to tie-up the unconscious woman, but it had given him a chance to check her for hidden weapons or a cell phone. His employer had been specific – "Do not harm her in any way, and keep your pants zipped up!" Reminding himself of the consequences, he stuck to the letter of the law, but extended his search when he had discovered just how nice a body she had._

_The night had been long, made even longer when she awakened and started yelling at him. He hated a loud mouthed broad, and she more than qualified. She hurled insults and swears at him like she invented them. And her cussing – he wouldn't doubt that she had insulted his ancestry in a dozen different languages._

_In spite of this, everything ran smoothly until the body guard had shown up._

_He had no idea how he had followed them, much less why a junior reporter rated a body guard. Something didn't smell right!_

_The body guard had remained unseen until he had moved to untie the woman. That action had bought him three bullets in the back. Damn body armour! And it must be expensive; he couldn't even see it under the flannel shirt._

_As soon as the woman was free, she had rushed him, causing the body guard to jump between her and two more rounds._

_Now he was on the run from a broad, something he had never done in his life!_

_Ducking around another corner he paused to catch his breath. It was decision time, and he knew exactly what he was going to do; he was going to kill his employer._

_To make it more real to himself, he said it under his breath, "For hiring me and not giving me all the information, I am going to kill…"_

--

Clark Kent's eyes grew round when he heard the kidnapper's declaration. Reaching over he grabbed Lois Lane's arm, stopping her chase.

"What the hell! Smallville, he's getting away!"

He pushed her into a door way and placed his hand over her mouth, which she promptly bit.

Leaning his head next to her's, he softly said, "I know where he's going, we want to follow him."

The fire in her eyes told him he had better say more!

"He was hired to kidnap you. Now he's going to kill his employer for not telling him that you have friends that watch your back."

Her angry eyes grew in intensity until he imagined he could feel heat coming from them. Leaning in he asked her a question, "Do you want to catch the idiot that wanted to kidnap you?"

She nodded, as best she could with Clark's hand over her mouth.

Smiling at her, he leaned his head close to her ear, "Will you be quiet if I let you go?"

Again she nodded in the affirmative.

Stepping back, he asked, "Shall we go, or do you want to kiss my hand some more?"

"That's some ego you have there, Smallville. It's a good thing you drive a truck, so you can haul it around in the back!" She tartly replied, wanting a pound of flesh for his insolence.

"Really Lois, if you were biting my hand," he held his hand up for her to see, "where are the teeth marks?"

Grabbing his hand she looked it over, twice, then grabbed the other one for inspection; no teeth marks!

--

Lois remained silent as Clark steered his truck toward their destination. She held his hand and kept looking at it expecting teeth marks to show up. 'It can't be true,' she thought, 'it just can't be true. I bit his hand, hard! But there were no marks, and he never acted like he was in pain. Could she have been kissing his hand? No, no, no, no! This is weird even for Smallville – both of them.'

Before she could comprehend it, Clark had stopped the truck and pulled her out through his door. She looked around, dropped his hand, and yelled at him. "You are not dropping me off at the Planet! I don't need to be protected; you aren't leaving me behind in some misguided attempt to protect me!"

"Lois, this is the kidnapper's destination."

"What…?"

He took her hand and started to lead her around to the back. Stopping, he leaned close. "It would be a good idea to be quiet until we hear them talking." He whispered.

She nodded and they continued to walk deeper into the alley until they saw the two men arguing. It was easy for them to get close, and when the kidnapper grabbed his gun; Clark stepped out and knocked him out.

Meanwhile…

Lois Lane was face to face with the man that had paid to have her abducted, Grant Gabriel.

"What? Why, Grant?"

"Lois, sweetheart…"

"Don't sweetheart me. You don't have the right." The contempt in her voice was unmistakable. "We had a few dates, some fun… Maybe it could have been more…"

Slowly he walked up to her and cupped her cheek in his hand. She closed her eyes and he leaned in to kiss her. Their warm breath intermingled as he closed the distance between his lips and hers. This was the point where the heel of her boot crushed his instep.

Fortunately for Mr. Gabriel, Clark was able to pull her away from him before her twelfth kick became her thirteenth.

**XxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**The End**


End file.
